Case Studies

Some of the entries that have been funded through previous Innovation in Ageing Challenges:

Seniorpreneurs

SeniorPreneurs is a Not-for-Profit organisation with a vision and sole purpose to empower senior entrepreneurs to succeed. They achieve this through facilitating networking, learning development & access to support that assists people “50 Plus” achieve their business and new venture goals.

Through the Innovation in Ageing Challenge in 2015, Dr Peter Balan collaborated with Co–Founder Bambi Price to test and refine the networking model (that had been piloted in Melbourne) for senior entrepreneurs in South Australia.

Through the Innovation Challenge process, some defining moments for SeniorPreneurs were:

Expanding their understanding of what was of value to both their primary (People 50 Plus) and supporting customers (collaborators & partners)

More deeply understanding the needs of senior entrepreneurs and involving them in developing and testing how they provided the service

Since completing the Innovation Challenge, SeniorPreneurs runs a South Australian Branch, a shared work centre in conjunction with Scott’s Church and Dr Peter Balan, provides an employment platform where experienced professionals can choose work hours (part time or full time) and where businesses can hire project staff without having to engage permanent staff while growing. The learnings from the South Australian adaption Melbourne model has enabled SeniorPreneurs to refine the concept nationally and new branches have been established across Australia.

test kitchen

Test Kitchen is a social enterprise that supports the connection of older people to other generations through social meal-time experiences. Co-founded by Matt Haren and Julie-Ann Hill, Test Kitchen started as a set of ideas they tested and evolved through the Innovation in Ageing Challenge 2015.

Through the Innovation in Ageing Challenge process, some defining moments for Test Kitchen were:

Deciding to take a step back to better understand the issues and problems associated with meal times, eating alone and socialisation, rather than jumping ahead and testing possible solutions

Running a Tasting Showcase event as part of COTA SA’s Every Generation Festival where they tested with older people the Host@Home concepts through prototype product cards, aprons and host support kits

Experimenting (using rapid prototyping techniques) with parts of their social dining idea that Test Kitchen had the most uncertainty about: dining room design, social facilitation and barrier busting

Since completing the Innovation in Ageing Challenge, Test Kitchen:

Are running their dining room/catering business in Port Augusta

Received the “Excellence in Services to Aged Care – Organisation Award”, in the Port Augusta Awards for Services to Aged Care

Have been working with a business mentor/ coach to explore routes to grow their enterprise

Has been an Australian eChallenge award winner (2016)

Is a resident team at ThincLab Adelaide (2017 - present)

Has been providing services to lifestyle and retirement villages around Adelaide

Has implemented consumer-driven food product development within its suite of B2B services

Continues to develop new ways to enhance social interaction experiences

Continues to optimise their business model through start-up teaming and other partnerships